Technical Grade but Not Recrystallized {alpha}-Naphthylthiourea Potentiates Superoxide Release by Rat Neutrophils Stimulated in Vitro by Phorbol Myristate Acetate

Technical Grade but Not Recrystallized -Naphthylthiourea PotentiatesSuperoxide Release by Rat Neutrophils Stimulated in VitrobyPhorbol Myristate Acetate. ROTH, R.A., AND BALL, T.M. (1986).Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 7, 324–328. -Naphthylthiourea (ANTU)causes pulmonary edema and pleural effusion in rats. It hasbeen suggested that ANTU pneumotoxicity may be mediated by bloodneutrophils (PMNs) via the release of reactive oxygen species.Accordingly, we tested the effect of technical grade ANTU (tANTU)on the ability of rat peritoneal PMNs to release superoxide(O₂). tANTU did not itself stimulate O₂ production by PMNs,but it increased the O₂ released in response to PMN stimulationby phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). This effect was dependentupon the amount of tANTU added. In PMNs activated in vitro bya submaximal PMA stimulus, addition of 20 µg/ml tANTUdoubled superoxide release. When tANTU was recrystallized fromethanol, the purified ANTU was not effective in potentiatingthe effect of PMA on PMNs. This suggests that an impurity intechnical grade ANTU is capable of increasing O₂ release bystimulated PMNs. tANTU and recrystallized ANTU caused similarpneumotoxicity in rats in vivo, suggesting that the unidentifiedimpurity does not markedly influence the biologic effects ofANTU.